Pattern fabric



(No Model.) E.- G. SMITH.

PATTERN FABRIC.

No. 601,595. Patented M1 29, 1898-.

Nirnn STATES FFICE;

PATTERN FABRIC.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 601,595, dated March29, 1898. Application filed April 13, 1897. Serial No. 632,018- (Nomodel) To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ELLA GIVENS SMITH, a resident of Ithaca, in thecounty of Tompkins and State of New York, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Woven Fabrics Marked for Sewing; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itpertains to make and use the same.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan of a piece of printedfabric. Fig. 2 is a plan of a fragment of fabric and showing severalstitches, and Fig. 3 is a section of the same on line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Heretofore ornamental figures have been stamped upon pieces of fabric bywellknown stamping devices, and the lines thus formed have been coveredby stitches, with the result that the stamped figures were thuspermanently fixed by sewing upon and in the fabric. The method isexpensive owing to the cost of stamping the designs, and, further, thestitching is too difficult'for young or inexpert seamstressesowing tothe difficulty they experience in following the lines and suitablyregulating the length of stitches The latter objection has been overcomein kindergarten practice by pricking figures in cardboard, the younglearner being taught to pass the needle in succession through the holesin some regularly-defined order. Articles thus produced have in generalno utility after they have served for the amusement or instruction ofthe young, though some pieces may possibly be regarded as ornamental andpossess an interest in View of the youth of those making the stitches.The value of the practice to the pupil is also impaired by the toomechanical control of the stitches by means of holes formed in rigidmaterial and because such material is unlike that to which the art ofsewing is generally to be applied.

The solid appearance in the ornamental figure resulting from theproposed use of the improvement above referred to results fromsuitably-disposed series of dual stitches crossing each other at rightangles. This crossing of the stitches gives a more decided effect to thestitched ornamentation when produced, and if the fabric with its patternbe used for instruction mainly it economizes material while enhancingthe appearance of the product.

It will be obvious from the description herein that fabrics providedwith marked patterns are not broadly claimed, and that no fabric isclaimed other than one provided with crossed lines, such as thediagonals of a square, and having series or collections of such linesdisposed to represent a definite pattern or figure, the crossed linesindicating suitable length and direction of the stitches requisite toornament the fabric according to the pattern; and it should beunderstood that the crossed lines printed on a fabric and disposed todefine a figure, the lines having suitable length for stitches,characterize the improvement. I

It is designed by the present improvement to facilitate theornamentation by hand of covers, quilts, curtains, hangings, and variousother articles covered by or made from woven fabrics, and incidentallyto render the production of the ornamentation easy for persons ofordinary skill and within the capacity of young children who can therebybe taught to ply the needle in such fabrics with the stimulus of auseful article ornamented by their own hands in view.

To effect the purposes above described, the fabric to be ornamented isprinted with small squares, such as denoted by numeral 1 in thedrawings. The entire web maybe thus printed in the usual manner ofprinting, the fabric being of any desired width.

Numeral 2 denotes diagonal lines printed in certain of the squares, saidsquares being in such order and arrangement as to outline and representa definite figure-as, for example, a horse or a bird-as shown in thedrawings. In practice the figures thus outlined by printed squareshaving diagonal lines or other distinguishing marks are made morepronounced and decorative by stitches made with yarn, thread, or thelike, at, of any desired color or colors and covering the diagonalprinted lines and extending each from the corner of asquare to thatdiagonally opposite. As the length and direction of the proper stitchesto be made to produce a figure are thus clearly indicated, great skillis not required for their production, and children can be readily taughtto do the work and enabled to produce articles for use which stimulatetheir interest and permanently re- Ward their efforts. Aside from theinstruction of children the improvement provides for the ornamentationof articles by the means described and will afford occupation for alarge class of people usually wanting occupation, who can thus maketheir needles useful in home decoration.

The fabrics can be printed in all practicable sizes. For example, a sizesuitable for a bed-cover can be printed with tastefully-arrangedornamental figures in any number, the outlines of the figures beingmarked by the squares with the diagonals, and such a printed cover couldbe repeated throughout the Whole length of a web of cloth, and obviouslythe same method could be adopted with other articles.

Parallellines of the squares are onlyimportant as indicators of the endsof the obliquely or diagonally crossed lines-that is, indicators of thepoints where the needle is to be inserted. The holes heretofore providedin cards for kindergarten practice control too positively andmechanically the introduction of the needle, and the material is notsuch as the pupil will subsequently sew, as has been explained.Cardboard is not, therefore, Well adapted to cultivate practical skillin sewing. By the present improvement it is only necessary that thepoints for the introduction of the needle be indicated or marked at orby terminals of the diagonally-crossed lines of uniform length. Thesides of the squares of which the crossed lines are diagonals illustrateone means forthis purpose. If desired, the stitches may extend from theterminals of the obliquely-crossed lines to the point of theintersection of said lines. A woven fabric having a plurality of shortcrossed or diagonally-disposed lines of uniform length and provided withterminal lines or indicators to indicate points for the insertion oflaneedle to form stitches crossed on said diagonal lines, the lines beingdisposed to represent a definite figure, is characteristic of theimprovement.

Having described my invention, what I claim is I I A woven fabric havingmarked thereon a plurality of short crossed lines of uniform length, andhaving marks to indicate their terminals, said terminals being thepoints for the introduction of the needle in sewing, the crossed linesbeing disposed to represent a definite figure and having suitable lengthand direction for crossed stitches to be made to fill in said figure,substantiallyas described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribmg witnesses.

ELLA GIVENS SMITH.

WVitnesses:

SIMEoN SMITH, LIZZIE L. MEADE.

